In order to ensure best practices, this laboratory aims for (1) practical research and development promoting best practice quality, (2) the nurturing of nursing leaders who can spread and utilize specific and appropriate best practices into the workplace, and (3) the exploration of ethical best practices that respect the values of all parties involved.

The Laboratory on Innovative Research and Practices for Nursing (WAKABA-no-kai) was founded to encourage young investigators to improve their research ability through observance of their potential. Investigators with different areas of expertise are involved in creative research taking advantage of flexible mindset and unremitting energy, which are unique to the youth. The interdisciplinary activities are expected to contribute to the future development of nursing care and the enrichment of nursing education. Their current projects and activities will be discussed in the Open Research Forum.

As the number of elderly people in Japan has increased, measures to prevent dementia are currently considered important. As part of a larger investigation of activities that might contribute to health and the prevention of dementia in the elderly, this project focused on horticultural activities as one non-pharmacologic therapy. From this year, we are practicing the approach to spread horticultural activities in dementia care, and in the Open Research Forum (ORF), we introduce study results on the effects of horticultural activity training programs for the nursing and care worker staff members in nursing homes.